Fragment (Three Joined Strips from Small Pillow)
1550/1600
Medium
Linen, plain weave; cut and drawn work in overcast stitches with needle lace inserts; embroidered in back, buttonhole, double faggot, double hem, eyelet hem, overcast, and satin stitches
Dimensions
9.4 × 66.4 cm (3 3/4 × 26 1/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
154922
Art Historical Context
This delicate textile fragment, dating to around 1550–1600, consists of three joined linen strips originally from a small pillow. Measuring just 9.4 × 66.4 cm, it exemplifies the exquisite needlework of the late Renaissance, a time when finely crafted linens adorned European households, signaling refinement and wealth. Produced on a plain-weave linen base—valued for its durability and smoothness—the piece survives as a testament to anonymous artisans, likely skilled women, whose handiwork rivaled the era's finest paintings in intricacy. The artwork showcases advanced techniques like cut and d...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...